A retired female professor of Punjab University, who belonged to the Ahmadiyya community, was found dead at her residence in Lahore on Tuesday.

The scholar, identified only as Dr Tahira, used to live alone in her house in the Punjab University Housing Colony. The husband of the deceased professor had died earlier, while her only daughter lived in Karachi.

Dr Tahira held a doctorate from the University of California and had taught molecular genetics.

The spokesperson for the Jamaat-i-Ahmadiya, Saleemuddin, while speaking to Dawn, confirmed that the deceased was a member of the often persecuted community.

He said the motive of the killing was not immediately clear.

According to details given by Iqbal Town SP Rana Omer Farooq, the professor's daughter had been calling her repeatedly since Monday evening but had failed to receive a response, following which she informed the university administration.

When officials entered her house Tuesday morning after breaking down the door, they found the retired professor's body lying in a pool of blood.

There was no sign of a break-in or robbery.

The police were called in immediately.

Police said unidentified assailants had killed the retired professor with a paper cutter and fled the scene soon after.

Dr Tahira's body was shifted to a hospital for medico-legal formalities while police initiated an investigation.